Casing-head.



R. L. FLETCHER. CASING HEAD.

APPLICATION FILED oc.2o. |911.

a sHETs-sHEET 1. Z

lfm/www" Patented Feb. 5, 1918.

R. L. FLETCHER.

CASING HEAD.

APPLlcATmN FILED 001.20.1917.

Patented Feb. 5, 1918.

" 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

R. L. FLETCHER..

cAslNG'HEAn.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 20L. l-9IT.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3- ROY L. FLETCHER, 0F CMERON', WEST VIRGINIA.

CASTING-HEAD.

Specication of Letters Patent. Patientil Felt), 5, lllgjl..

application med october zo, 1917. serial No. 197,580.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that'I I, ROY L. FLETCHER, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Cameron, Marshall county, West Virginia, have invented a new and useful Improve ment in Casin Heads, of which the following is a speci cation.

This invention relates to a casing head, for use in oil and gas wells.

In drilling oil and gas wells great difficulty has been encountered in capping the well and preventing loss of fluid upon striking any considerable flow of oil or gas. llt is therefore, an advantage to providemeans for cutting o' the flow through the main bore of the casing, and for leading olf the fluid to a suitable receiving tank. Frior forms of casing head designed for this purpose have, however, presented obvious disadvantages in that they cannot be used without interfering with the progress of the drilling operations, and have not provided by-passes of such form and capacity as to readily lead ofll the fluid during a strong flow thereof.

The object of the present invention is to provide a casing head so formed that it will not interfere with the drillin operations at any stage thereof, and which is so constructed and is provided with by-passes of such form and capacity that it is capable of diverting a strong flow of fluid from the main bore ofthe casing without retarding such flow.

This object is attained by so formin the casing head and the by-passes there rom,

that the by-passes are of greatcapacity and of such form as to permit ready' entrance of oil thereinto, Further the construction of the by-passes and of the lcasing head in general is such that it may be located within the well and an appreciable distance below the derrick floor. Because of' such location of the casing head, the How of oil'through the casing may be cut od' and the oil per; mitted to4 How through the by-passes without completely withdrawing the string of drilling tools from the'well, but ermitting them to extend thereinto such distance as ywill allow 'ready uncoupling of the string at a point above the mouth of the well and derrick door. 'llhe use of such a casing head,

moreover, permits a continuous flow of oil.

through-.the ley-passes during the continupn ance of the drilling Qperation, and further permits the by-pas's pipes to be disposed beneath tle derrick floor, so that they do not interfere with opera tions conducted thereon.4

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an elevation rof the casing head; Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a View showing the casing head in position in a well during actual drilling operations; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the casing head valve; Fig. 6 is a vertical section through the valve; and Fig. 7 is a sectional view through the well and casing head showing the string of drilling tools in position for uncoupling.

The casing head comprises a tubular body member 1 interiorly screwthreaded at its extremities, as at 2 and 3 respectively, for attachment to sections of well casing, the diameter of the interior bore of the member l being determined by the diameter of the linal stringof casing employed in the drilling operation, such casing being commonly of standard diameter. Cast'integral with the tubular body member 1 are a plurality of upwardly extending by-passes Ll, communicating with the interior bore of the tubular member l, and screw-threaded at their upper extremities 5 to receive vertically extending pipes 6 for conducting the fluid to a receiving tank. These by-passes are so arranged that they project outwardly from thebody of the casing a. gradually increasing distance upwardly thereof, with the exception bftheir uppermost portions which are arranged to receive the pipes 6; and at the point of their greatest extension extend outwardly from the casing a' distance no greater than the diameter of the bypasses themselves. It will be seen that this byepass arrangement permits pipes to be attached to the casing head without the use of elbows, and that this arrangement therefore economizes space within the well and'permits the casmg head to be secured Vto sections of casing and placed any desired distance below the mouth of the well. ln cases where a cellar isv provided beneath the derriek Hoor so that a casing head of relatively large horizontal dimensions may be set the desired distance below the derrick floor, the number of by-passes may be reduced' and their size increased. In such case, however,

the form of by-pass shown is still of maundue pressure against the casing head valve.

In order to close the main bore therethrough, the casing head is provided with a flap valve 7, secured to a rock shaft 8 having bearings in an extension 9 of the tubular member 1. The face 1 0 of the flap valve is conical in form so that it seats closely in the seat 11 formed in the tubular member 1 and completely prevents leakage of fluid therethrough. The valve member 7 is secured to the arm 12, secured to or formed integral with the rock shaft 8, by means of bolt 13 passing through the valve member7 the bolt 13 being so disposed that the valve 7 is enabled to rook slightly thereon and thus readily find its seat in the casing head. In Fig. 3 the valveis shown in full lines seated, and in dotted lines in its open position, in which latter it is so disposed as to leave the bore of the casing head unobstructed. In order to prevent leakage past the through bearing of the rock shaft 8 in the extension 9 of the casing head, the rock shaft is provided with a collar 14 arranged to bear against the inner surface of the extension 9 and provided with an annular gasket receiving groove 15 surrounding the shaft.- In order to provide room for the extension 9 without unduly increasing the lateral. extent of the casing head, the by-passes 4 are 'arranged in pairs, the by-passes of one such palr being so spaced from each other as to provide space for the extension 9 between them. This arrangement provides by-passes and by-pass pipe connections having a capacity approaching that of the central bore ofthe casing head, while' keeping the horizontal extent of the casing head within such limits that it may readily be contained within the bore of the well. The capacity of the by-pass is of importance in preventing an undue pressure against the valve 7 upon striking a heavy flow of oil or gas, While the inclined position or formation of the bypasses assists in leading off the fluid by permitting a ready entrance thereof into the by-passes.

In order that the valve 7 may be actuated from' a point above the well mouth a suitable operating lever 16 is provided. This lever at its lower extremity is pivotally secured to a curved lever member 17 rigidly secured at its other extremity to the extending portion 18 of the rock shaft 8; It

will be seen that the tapered formpof the by-passes 4 permits the curved portion 17 of the operating lever to pass around one of the by-passes and beneath its most extended portion so that space is to the highest degree economized. The form and manner of attachment of the lever 16 moreover, permit the valve to be rotated through the necessary arc with a minimum lateral move- .ment of the lever. To `provide for the inmally closed by means of a cap 19 bolted to' the extension 9 and arranged to provide a {luid-tight joint therewith.

i In use of the casing head as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 7 of the drawings, it is attached to the uppermost section 20 of the well casing and to the next uppermost casing section 21 to form a connection therebetween. It will be seen that the by-pass pipes 6 may extend horizontally beneath the derrick floor Q2, and may lead the Huid to a receiving tank Without extending above the floor level at any point. With the valve 7 open, as shown in Fig. 4, drilling may be conducted through the bore of the casing head, and durin the operation of drilling through sands giving a light production of oil, such oil will flow through the by-passes 4 and,bypass pipe 6. Under such circumstances any appreciable loss of oil may bc prevented by the use of an oil saver 23 of any usual form, secured to the upper extremity of the casing 20 .and surrounding the drilling line 24. When the line -is withdrawn, and the oil saver Q3 removed to permit removal of the string of tools 25, the drilling bit is raised to a point in the casing above lthe casing head and the valve 7 therein closed, as shown in Fig. 7. Under such conditions of use the flow of oil will be completely cut off from the uppermost casing section 20 by the valve 7, and directed into the by-passes 4 and pipes 6. The string of tools may be then uncoupled readily from the drilling line without any waste of oil during the operation.

Because of the possibility of placing thc casing head above described below the derrick floor beneath the mouth of a well it is enabled toeflect an increased savin of oil and to facilitate drilling operations. This advantage is obtained by means of the general compact and vertically arranged construction of the casing head, and by the specific construction of the parts which contribute to such general compactness. The form of the by-passes, moreover, permits them to be of great capacity, and is such that oil may readily ow therethrough. It is obvious that minor changes may be made in the form or arrangement of the casing head and by-passes, or in the form and arrangement of the valve and other points of construction, without departing from the central inventive idea, and no limitations other than those contained in the claims are therefore to be imposed.

1. A casing head comprising a tubular body incanta having a central bore therethrough and arranged to be connected to a well casing, and by-pass means integral with said tubular body and extending vertically thereof substantially parallel to the vertical axis of said tubular body.

2. A casing head comprising `a tubular body having a central bore therethrough and arranged to, be connected to a well casing,

by-pass means integral with said tubular. body and extending vertically thereof sub stantially parallel to the vertical axis of said tubular body, and means for closing said central bore.

3. A casing head comprising a tubular body member having a central bore therethrough, and a plurality of by-passes arranged to provide direct connections'V for vertically extending conduits, said by-passes bein so disposed as to extend substantially para lel to the vertical axis of said body member and to project outwardly from said tubular body a distance no greater than the diameter of said by-passes.

t. A casing head comprising a tubular body member having a central Kbore therei through and arranged to be connected to a ist well casing, a plurality of by-passes arranged to provide direct connections for vertically extending conduits, said by-passes be-` ing so disposed as to extend substantially parallel to the vertical axis of said body member and to project outwardly from said tubular body a distance n0 greater than the diameter of Vsaid by-passes, and means for closing the central bore in said4 casing head.

5. A casingv head comprising a 4tubular body having a central bore therethrough and arranged to be connected to a well casing, a plurality of vertically disposed by-passes so arranged about said tubular body as to provide space for a rock shaft having bearings therein, a rock shaft in saidv bearings, and a valve on said rock shaft arranged to close the` central bore in said casing head.

6.'A casing head comprising a tubular 'i body member having a centralv bore therethrough and arranged to be connected to a well casing,a plurality of vertically disposed by-passes arranged to extend substantially parallel to the vertical axis of said body member and being of increased diameter up- Wardly-of their extent, a valve arranged to close the central herein said casing head, and means operable from the well mouth for actuating saidV valve.

7 A casing head comprising a tubular body member having a central bore therethrough and arranged to be connected to a well casing, a plurality of vertically disposed by-passes so arranged about said tubular bod asA to' provide space for a rockshaft havmg bearings therein, a rock shaft having bearings in said body member, a valve in said rock shaft arranged to close the central bore in said casing head, and means operable from the well mouth for actuating said valve.

8. A casing head comprising a tubular body memberhaving a central bore therethrough and arranged to be connected to a well casing, a plurality of vertical by-passes on said body member and of increased diamtherein, a rock shaft having bearings in said body member, and a `valve arranged to close the central bore in said casing head.

9. A casing head comprising a tubular body lmember having a central bore therethrough and arranged to be connected to a well casing, and vertically extending by passes on said body member and of increased diameter upwardly of their extent, said by-passes bein so disposed as to extend substantially paral el to thevertical axis oit saidV body member and to project outwardlyv from said body a distance no greater than the diameter of said ley-passes.

l0. A casing head comprising a tubular body having a central bore therethrough and arranged to be connected to a Well casing, lay-pass means integral withv said tubular bbdy and arranged to extend vertically thereof substantially parallel to the vertical axis of said tubular body, a valve arranged to close the bore through said casing head, and means for actuating said valve. In witness whereo/t, l have hereunto set my hand.

i nerr. FLETCHER..

`Witnesses:l p

. /FLorn S'rnorn, d, ll. Ems. t 

